1 IntroductionOur Internet policy has been written by the school, following consultation with staff. It has been agreed by the senior staff and approved by the Governing Body.

2 AimsThe purpose of Internet use in school is to raise educational standards, to promote pupil achievement, to support the professional work of staff and to enhance the school's management information and business administration systems. Internet use is a part of the statutory curriculum and a necessary tool for staff and pupils.The school's Internet access is designed expressly for pupil use and will include filtering appropriate to the age of the pupils.

" Pupils will be taught and given clear objectives for Internet use." Internet access will be planned to enrich and extend learning activities. Access levels will be reviewed to reflect the curriculum requirements and age of pupils." Pupils will be educated in the effective use of the Internet for research, including the skills of location and retrieval.In the unlikely event that pupils encounter material they feel is distasteful, uncomfortable or threatening, they should report the address of the site to a member of staff who will then inform the ICT Co-ordinator who will bar access to that site in the future.

3 E-mail ManagementPupils may be given opportunities to e-mail children elsewhere in the country and to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the system. It must be recognised that children will only use this facility for educational purposes in school and not for personal communications. Each pupil is given their own e-mail account but will not be able to access their 'inbox' unless supervised." Pupils may only access approved e-mail accounts on the school system." Pupils must immediately tell a teacher if they receive offensive e-mail." Pupils must not reveal details of themselves or others in e-mail communication, such as address or telephone number, or arrange to meet anyone." E-mail sent to an external organisation should be written carefully and authorised before sending, in the same way as a letter written on school headed paper." The forwarding of chain letters is not permitted.

4 Website ManagementThe point of contact on the website should be the school address, school e-mail and telephone number. Staff or pupils' home information will not be published. Website photographs that include children will be selected carefully and, wherever possible, will not enable personal identification. Pupils' full names will not be used anywhere on the website, particularly associated with photographs, and only forename and year group will be used.Written permission from parents will be sought upon the child's entry to school, regarding published photographs of pupils on the school's website.The copyright of all material must be held by the school, or be attributed to the owner where permission to reproduce has been obtained.

5 Internet AccessThe school will keep a record of all staff and pupils who are granted Internet access. The record will be kept up to date when pupils or staff leave the school or access is withdrawn. Children will have Internet access withdrawn if they break the "Rules for Children".Parents will be informed that pupils will be provided with supervised Internet access and asked to sign and return to school the Internet Use Agreement. Pupils will not be allowed access to public or unregulated chat rooms.

6 Risk AssessmentIn common with other media such as magazines, books and videos, some material available via the Internet is unsuitable for pupils. The school will take all reasonable precautions to ensure that users access only appropriate material. However, due to the international scale and linked nature of Internet content, it is not possible to guarantee that unsuitable material will never appear on a school computer. The school cannot accept liability for the material accessed, or any consequences of Internet access. However, methods to identify, assess and minimise risks are extensive and will be reviewed regularly in consultation with the Internet Service Provider.The use of computer systems without permission or for inappropriate purposes could constitute a criminal offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.

7 FilteringThe school will work in partnership with parents, Education Bradford, the DfES and the Internet Service Provider to ensure systems to protect pupils are reviewed and improved. Senior staff will ensure that regular checks are made to ensure that the filtering methods selected are appropriate and effective.If staff or pupils discover unsuitable sites, the URL (address) and content must be reported to the Internet Service provider via the ICT Co-ordinator.

8 Introducing the Policy to pupils" Rules for Internet access will be posted near all computer systems." Pupils will be informed that Internet use must be supervised at all times.

9 Staff ConsultationAll staff must accept the terms of the staff 'Responsible Internet Use' statement before using any Internet resource in school. All staff will have access to this policy. Staff should be aware that Internet traffic can be monitored and traced to the individual user. Discretion and professional conduct is essential.Staff development in the safe and responsible use of the Internet and on any changes to the school's Internet policy will be provided as required.10 ICT System Security" The school's ICT systems will be reviewed regularly with regard to security." Virus protection will be installed and updated regularly." The ICT Co-ordinator/network manager will ensure that the system has the capacity to take increased traffic generated by Internet use.

11 Parental SupportParents' attention will be drawn to the Policy for Internet Use in newsletters, the school Booklet of Information and on the school's website. Internet issues will be handled sensitively so that parents can be informed without causing undue alarm.

12 Complaints regarding Internet useFor all complaints regarding use of the Internet, please use the school's standard Complaints Procedure.